VERMICULITE
(Data in thousand metric tons, unless noted)
Domestic Production and Use: One company, with mining and processing facilities in
South Carolina, remained the largest producer of vermiculite concentrate. Three
other companies each had an active operation for producing concentrate; two in South
Carolina, and one in Virginia. Most of the vermiculite concentrate was shipped to 25
exfoliating plants in 16 States. The end uses for exfoliated vermiculite were
estimated to be agriculture, 55%; insulation, 23%; lightweight concrete aggregates,
including concrete, plaster, and cement premixes, 16%; and other, 6%.
Salient Statistics--United States: 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995e/
Production1/ 180 190 190 180 170
Imports for consumptione/ 38 40 30 30 35
Exportse/ 10 8 7 7 5
Consumption, apparent, concentrate 208 222 213 203 200
Consumption, exfoliated 136 140 140 130 130
Price, average value, concentrate,
dollars per ton, f.o.b. mine W W W W W
Stocks, producer, yearend NA NA NA NA NA
Employment, mine and mille/ 230 230 230 230 230
Net import reliance2/ as a percent
of apparent consumption 13 14 11 11 15
Recycling: Insignificant.
Import Sources (1991-94):e/ South Africa, 99%; and other, 1%.
Tariff: Item Number Most favored nation (MFN) Non-MFN3/
12/31/95 12/31/95
Mineral substances not
specifically provided
for 2530.10.0000 Free Free.
Exfoliated vermiculite
as mixtures and articles
of heat-insulating,
sound-insulating, or
sound-absorbing materials 6806.20.0000 3.9% ad val. 30% ad val.
Depletion Allowance: 14% (Domestic), 14% (Foreign).
Government Stockpile: None.
Prepared by Michael J. Potter, (703) 648-7723.
VERMICULITE
Events, Trends, and Issues: During the past few years, agricultural (horticultural,
soil conditioning, etc.) applications have been the largest end use of exfoliated
vermiculite. According to a non-Government source, vermiculite is used in building
boards of various types. For example, fine-sized, untreated vermiculite concentrates
are included in fire-resistant plaster board, and exfoliated vermiculite is used in
some lightweight wallboard and in various refractory board products. Ground,
thermally exfoliated vermiculite is utilized as filler in friction materials, such as
a replacement for asbestos in brake linings.
World Mine Production, Reserves, and Reserve Base:
Mine production Reserves4/ Reserve base4/
1994 1995e/
United States1/ 180 170 25,000 100,000
Russia 40 40 NA NA
South Africa 223 220 20,000 80,000
Other countries5/ 43 60 5,000 20,000
World total5/ 486 490 50,000 200,000
World Resources: Marginal reserves of vermiculite, occurring in Colorado, Nevada,
North Carolina, Texas, and Wyoming, are estimated to be 2 to 3 million tons.
Resources in other countries may include material that does not exfoliate as well as
U.S. and South African vermiculite. Total world resources are estimated to be up to
three times the reserve amount.
Substitutes: Expanded perlite is a substitute for vermiculite in lightweight
concrete and plaster. Other more dense but less costly material substitutes in these
applications are expanded clay, shale, slate, and slag. Alternate materials for
loosefill fireproofing insulation include fiberglass, perlite, and slag wool. In
agriculture, substitutes include peat, perlite, sawdust, bark and other plant
materials, and synthetic soil conditioners.
e/Estimated. NA Not available. W Withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary
data.
1/Concentrate sold and used by producers.
2/Defined as imports - exports + adjustments for Government and industry stock
changes.
3/See Appendix B.
4/See Appendix C for definitions.
5/Excludes countries for which information is not available.
Mineral Commodity Summaries, January 1996